Stenson, winner of the European Tour’s Race to Dubai and PGA Tour’s FedExCup this season, trimmed the overnight lead by half at the turn but Garcia shifted into fifth gear with three successive birdies from the 10th hole to eventually cruise home comfortably and pick up his 21st tour victory and fourth on the Asian Tour with his 22-under-par 266 winning aggregate.
"It was great, an amazing week … obviously being the last week of the year and for having Katharina [Boehm] caddie for me,” said the 33-year-old, who had his girlfriend on caddying duty here.
"I knew Henrik was going to make it difficult for me. He's been playing so amazingly great, and he did. He kept hitting good shot after good shot. And then when I bogeyed seven, I had to make a good par save on nine after getting a bit unlucky with the approach shot. And then I made three very important birdies on the first three on the back nine and gave myself a little bit of a cushion," added Garcia, who finished fourth here last year.
After safely hitting the floating island green on the par-3 signature 17th hole and finding the fairway on 18, it was only then that Garcia could enjoy the victory march up the final green.
"I pretty much knew that finishing par, par, the tournament was pretty much mine, and then just making sure I kept the tee shot dry on 18 and I hit a great second shot with a 6-iron, and once the ball came out of the clubface, I knew that I was pretty much done," said Garcia, who pocketed US$180,000 for the win.
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